Abundance is a concept often debated in spiritual and entrepreneurial circles.
Entrepreneurs commonly use the catch-phrase “thinking BIG,” but they really mean the same thing.
Abundance is tough to define because it’s one of those unique ideas that must be experienced to really be understood … it can’t just be explained.
Yet the most encouraging part of adopting an abundance mindset is how it can connect you to people with totally different set of beliefs and values.
It instantly sustains inclusivity even with people who are dramatically different.
POP QUIZ: What do Mother Theresa and Donald Trump have most in common?
The answer is their abundance mind-set.
Donald Trump says, “If you’re going to think anyway, you might as well think big.”
Mother Theresa said: “The more we discover the magnitude and abundance of God’s gifts, the more we will find ourselves.”
Again, the abundance mindset creates connections.
Bucky Fuller had this to say about the abundance mindset:
“The condition of planet earth is abundance. Our belief in either scarcity or abundance determines how our financial, legal, political and military systems are set up or exist at all.
Scarcity and abundance are foundational and contextual ideas. They each give rise to a distinct system of thought and a number of rules, characteristics and measures which only make sense within their own system.”
Above all, the abundance-mindset is a choice. In other words, you choose to look through the lens of scarcity, or through the lens of abundance. There is no in-between.
“Do … or do not. There is no try.” ~ Yoda
Because there are are so many differing opinions about abundance, my colleagues and I have decided to conduct this worldwide survey get more opinions - your opinion - on this highly debated topic.
My JV partners, Alex Mandossian and Scott Martineau are hosting the Virtual Abundance Expo next week, so I figured this a great opportunity to host a survey and attract the best single sentence that clearly defines abundance.
What to do now: Please use the comment box to write your definition of abundance. The survey ends at 5pm PDT on Monday, July 27th, right before Jack Canfield’s keynote speech for the Virtual Abundance Expo.
All the definitions will be gathered and tallied the next day and five finalists will be chosen for the final vote.
If you are one of the five finalists, your definition of abundance will be personally evaluated by our Virtual Abundance Expo faculty.
The top vote-getter with the clearest and most concise definition of abundance will be personally interviewed by Scott and Alex as a honorary faculty member for Virtual Abundance Expo.
So what do you say … are you game?
If you are game, then take a peek at these 9 abundance quotes to get your heart and mind moving…
“The only factor becoming scarce in a world of abundance is human attention” ~ Kevin Kelly in Wired
“Nothing amuses me more than the easy manner with which everybody settles the abundance of those who have a great deal less than themselves.” ~ Jane Austen (1775 - 1817)
“Abundance is, in large part, an attitude” ~ Sue Patton Thoele
“Abundance of knowledge does not teach men to be wise” ~ Heraclitus (540 BC - 480 BC)
“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 - 1945)
“Unfortunately, the balance of nature decrees that a super- abundance of dreams is paid for by a growing potential for nightmares” ~ Peter Ustinov (1921 - 2004)
“Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into” ~ Wayne Dyer
“Expect your every need to be met. Expect the answer to every problem, expect abundance on every level.” ~ Eileen Caddy
“Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance” ~ Epicurus
Now it’s your turn … type in what you feel abundance means to you. Go ahead … the simple act of thinking about it will instantly improve your day.
Click here to register for the Virtual Abundance Expo now!
Guangzhou Design Week Preview! As you read this I am navigating my way through an adventure of three cities in just six days half way around the world. I’m presenting the Top Western Design Trends to architects, developers, designers and homeowners in China. There is a new upper class that is looking beyond their borders for design inspiration and lifestyle. Opportunities abound!
Asian influence is everywhere! We all know the world is shrinking, borders are blurring, and we enjoy the privilege of global influence in all aspects of design. The biggest contributors to hot and now are China, Russia, India, Morocco and Africa. The Asian aesthetic in particular brings a timeless geometry to spaces bringing order to chaos and edgy to what otherwise might be dull. From Oscar De La Renta to Raymond Waites and Thomas O’Brian the effects of thousands of years of design history are front and center today.
Where do your influences come from? I have to say it was funny when the Chinese interviewed me for a feature in Modern Decoration Home. They had researched me well (I am an online presence!) And they questioned why I wore Chinese clothes (my jacket in many pictures has a Chinese collar), why my cats are named Yin and Yang, and why my interiors seemed to have a Chinese influence (this still confuses me as I don’t see it, but they did!) I’d have to say mine comes from a love of good tailoring (the jacket), a constant search for balance (the Yin and the Yang of life), and a delight in an interior that has geometry as a grounding force. Where do your influences come from? How can you share them for greater success?
This is my favorite hotel ever visited–absolutely breathtaking! But with a somewhat irreverent sense of humor and being that we didn’t get in until after 10pm I have to confess that the motif had sexual potential. Take a look at the sideways flame that hung over the elevated lobby bar. Now tell me honestly if that doesn’t bear a striking resemblance to something else, very non-flamelike! Okay, okay, I know their intent was a flame as that is clearly what is on the wall over the front desk.
The room was beyond elegant with a Chinese screen above the bed, an alcove by the window with a chenille covered chaise, gossamer draperies, and the latest in electronics. The bath, though compact, had the best lighting of any so far, though that isn’t saying much. (That seems to be the only consistent downfall in the Chinese hotels, the vanity lighting.) The best was there was no automatic closer on the door so that getting in and out with luggage didn’t entail risking getting locked out or fighting the door with your luggage. We had to leave at 6am the following day so I did my own bellhopping. Otherwise I wasn’t permitted to carry a bag the entire trip. If this is celebrity living, I’m all over it!
We traveled to Shenzhen and The Shangri-la Hotel for our first day of presentations. The original attendance was at 180 but ballooned to over 250 before we got started. Ready had done an incredible job of marketing the event and me! Upon arrival, Ready handed me the current edition of the Chinese Modern Decoration Home where I was featured on over 10 pages with portfolio and a full interview. Wow! The Shangri-la Hotel was lovely, got some inadequate pics of the setting with stunning crystal chandeliers of leaves. Every hotel seemed finer than the last, each dripping in gold shimmer and crystal embellishments. The event went very well, though translation was a first and since it wasn’t simultaneous, but tandem, the program ran almost 3 hours. Following the event, I had back to back media interviews with Ready translating, quite an adventure!
We adjourned to dinner in the hotel, a lovely buffet with both Chinese and Western delicacies including a divine selection of desserts. From a mango whip to pistachio cake, chocolate raspberry decadence to gelato with a chocolate fountain, I was in heaven! So far I’d only experienced the Chinese desserts of sticky rice balls and I wasn’t a fan. The did include great lamp chops on the buffet as well. Being close to Australia, the Chinese include lamb on menus.
I was amazed at some of the sights we saw driving about, palm trees dressed in gold lame for decoration. We drove to an artist’s “village” a crowded maze of old and new buildings with a “gate” at the front that is home to many artists. It seemed somewhat deserted and we ambled around for at least an hour on stone streets. We came across a house crafted of oyster shells, and a performance pavilion with stunning gold and black “door ghosts.” We also saw a man hard at work mortaring brick and using an old fashioned bucket and pulley for bringing up the sand for his mortar.
Following our meanderings we headed off to visit the studio of Mr. Cuo, an acclaimed contemporary Chinese interior designer. We were greeted by his assistants and viewed all four floors. His work is reminiscent of Ron Arad, Michael Taylor, and Robert Kuo. It is bold in its shape, peaceful in its simplicity, and timeless by its largely organic nature. He had a stunning collection of fish, mostly carved wood, some ceramic that he had crafted. He shared that the fish is not present in the Chinese calendar of astrology, and he felt that it represented his uniqueness. He also had a collection of toilets, both working and decorative because he said (through the translator) that the invention of the toilet was so incredible and had been impacted by so many other countries that China needed to design a toilet also.
I was honored by his request to sign a book he owned on my great grandfather, Frank Lloyd Wright. And he presented me with a clipping in Chinese regarding Fallingwater that he had hung onto for many years. He also presented each of us with a tiny ceramic cup, hand crafted used to toast with Chinese liquor. It was truly a privilege visiting his studio and viewing his craftsmanship and imagination at work.
The Chinese are masters at landscape artistry and even the highways are lushly planted with tropical looking greenery in full flower. They had plumeria, Japanese maples, crepe myrtles, palm trees, fringe flower and too many more to name. They also embraced the art of topiaries and the Foo Dogs here, or lions as they called them, are particularly entertaining.
We visited the historical property The House of Chen. It was in typical Chinese style with polychromed sculpted scenes on the roof line, tiled roofs, stone courtyards, and much carved wood. Most of the carving seemed to be contemporary interpretations of historical representations. They also showcased modern day artists working in the class arts of ceramic sculpture, bone carving, ivory carving, wood carving and more. The doors had enormous colorful painted warrior type figures, one on each door, and are called “door ghosts”) as they are protectors of all who reside within.
Dinner was a group affair in a private room at a large round table with a lazy susan in the middle of the table and much served family style. I opted for rice as I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the selections live in the tanks we were shown. They had everything from live eel, to angry lobsters, slithering snakes, to slippery fish, snapping turtles to a baby crocodile (or was it a gator?)
The Chinese waste nothing in their meals and eat an enormous variety including internal organs, bone, and skin. For a palette that is accustomed to boneless, skinless and no organs, it was a bit of a challenge!
Staying at www.hoteldongfang.com. The room is lovely, compact, well designed, and with a soft elegance. Muted sage, basil, and rosemary green accents with contemporary textures. The entry (there is one!) boasts a roomy closet with heavy wood hangars and none of that nonsense with the head of the hangar so small you can’t steal it for home use. (No, I’m not lifting hangars, just appreciate the fact that they are real sized so easy to use.) They also have a nice little breakfast counter in limestone with an electric water pot for tea and coffee Another great idea!
There is a writing desk with leather inset and work lamp, and a console with storage for clothes and the TV is the old fashioned box style exposed. I’m surprised it isn’t a flat screen. A beautiful bench with a limestone top serves as a luggage rack, and it’s much easier than the usual cheap folding ones. The bath is all inclusive with a tub (though I need an extra foot or two to really stretch out) and a full shower. Not a lot of counter space but well placed shelves for all the vanity necessities. The lighting is the only element that really is ineffective as a woman who does put on a bit of a face.
Enjoyed lunch and lots of tea with Ready Zhang, the organizer of this venture, and his assistant. Many types of dumplings, my favorite were fried with shrimp inside. I effectively dodged the fried chicken paws (Ready’s English) and the pig’s hooves (looking like a black beet). I tried the steamed dough with sweet filling, kind of resembled a poached egg, it was ball shaped and white with filling the color of egg yolks. I also tasted the “porridge” which was a gruel like mix of rice and veggies, gray and runny. I’ll pass on it next time. I managed almost all with chop sticks but ran into trouble with some of the crispy fried items, just too slick and I had to revert to a fork.
Great flight, 747 with only 6 seats across in first class, it was veritably palatial! Service was impeccable and the food good, breakfast totally rocked! I had my choice of Chinese or Western, I played it safe with Western. The flight attendant asked me what “creamy scrambled eggs” were, tough to explain beating an egg when I don’t speak Mandarin and her English was limited. It was a bit of charades. I even got a good 6-8 hours of real sleep in, and caught up on the 20 or so trade and shelter publications I brought on board. Productive, well rested, auspicious start to the trip!
Landed and it took forever to taxi, wet and grey out.The airport was vast and very quiet, no typical US cacophony of cell phones going off upon landing. No customs to navigate either which surprised me must be on departure only. The driver met us and we were at the hotel by 7:45am Guangzhou time.
So often we get caught up in our daily routines only to forget the most important element in our lives, our health and well being. We are so busy taking care of everyone and everything else that we ignore ourselves until we either get sick or end up at the doctor with an injury. While none of us will ever admit to having the time to be ill or injured, we often don’t allow the critical time for health and wellbeing. When we honor ourselves and our bodies we will have a greater opportunity to experience the wellness necessary to keep up with and care for our families, enjoy time with our friends, succeed in our work, make a positive difference to ourselves and others.
*I am not a medical professional and all recommendations here are based on extensive personal experience and that of family and friends. I would encourage you to speak with a trained medical professional regarding your own physical limitations and challenges before following any advice.
Here are even more great ways to celebrate your health and fitness:
Happy Smiles
Regular dental care is also a vital part of our overall health. Fortunately with the advent of tooth whitening many more people have become aware of the significance of dental health and the relative ease to have a great smile. Teeth cleaning twice a year, x-rays to determine cavities at least once a year are good preventive maintenance steps, they are also often covered by dental insurance and if not the cost is reasonable and worth it to avoid much more costly work down the road.
Masterful Massage
Not just for special occasions anymore, massage is often recommended monthly or even weekly to relieve stress, work on overused muscles, and improve relaxation. The key is to find the best masseuse for you and they do vary widely, just as there are many different types of massage. Whether your preference is shiatsu, deep tissue, or finger touch you can do some simple research either through a doctor’s office or online and often get a discounted initial session to literally get a feel for the professional touch.
If this seems too extravagant or you want the ultimate in massage convenience look into the many massage chairs currently on the market. It is amazing how effective technology can be in delivering a truly refreshing and soothing experience. Many such chairs offer as many as six different types of touch and are engineered to cover your entire back and some even have built in leg and foot massage as well.
Now you have no excuse not to feel good and get rid of some of that stress we all carry around so well.
Take a Deep Breath
Have you ever been really anxious about something or you’ve been moving much too fast and someone has said to you “slow down and take a deep breath,” and you do and it helps? Very few of us truly breathe correctly using our diaphragm muscle. More often than not we are just doing a quick shallow breathing that keeps us alive but isn’t really imparting the benefits of oxygen to our entire bodies. If we focused more on breathing (typically pivotal in meditation) we would find ourselves calmer, more centered, more alert and aware.
This is especially true if we have a chance to get some really fresh air during the course of a day, not easy with constant transitions from car to interior spaces so often polluted with off gassing materials, airborne germs and more. And just going outside is no guarantee when you are tuned to listen to smog alerts and realize the number of contaminants present in the air around us.
Music for Your Ears
When was the last time you had your hearing checked? Why is it that as children we get everything checked regularly and as adults we wait for a problem? Our ears are constantly bombarded by not just vocal noise, but musical noise, TV noise, traffic noise, computer noise, children noise, electronic noise, and many other types we aren’t even aware of. Have you ever had the power go out when you didn’t think there was any noise? Suddenly you realize how loud quiet really is. When the power goes out, clocks stop ticking, computers stop humming, fluorescent lights stop whining and so much more that we don’t even tune into but it is there. Our ears are constantly assaulted and it behooves us to have them checked at least every couple of years to assure continued health and great hearing.
Windows to Your Soul
Yes, I do mean your eyes and I’m betting you haven’t had them checked lately or if you did it was to get a new prescription! When I was growing up my sister had what they call a lazy eye. She didn’t wear glasses but did do eye exercises daily that strengthened and corrected this. She is glasses free to this day some 30 years later. Unfortunately many of us don’t take care of our vision, we read computer screens until we are blind, don’t pay attention to proper lighting, and generally abuse that delicate instrument known as our vision.
It is so much easier to go in for an annual checkup than to wait until it is too late. Many challenges at the early stages can be corrected by exercises or better care. Later may require Lasik surgery (I know many have experienced great success with this, but any time you can maintain health and avoid surgery is preferred, there are no guarantees.) and much more. Glasses are often not necessary at all and most of us don’t want them. (Sun glasses are increasingly important in this day and age of global warming and the loss of the ozone layer. The glare and UV today takes a serious toll on our vision daily.) Contact lens can be a real hassle. There is no reason to presume that you will need glasses particularly if no one in your family history wears them (yes, genetics does play a role.) Keep the windows to your soul open and without visual aids.
Take care of yourself, honor your body and mind and celebrate health and well being for life.
Be sure to check out Celebrate Your Health and Well Being, Part I for more great ideas on honoring yourself! To get the book, Celebrate Your Life! featuring 101 ways to honor and embrace the best of life every day, go to www.theartofcelebrating.com. For more about author and lifestyle expert Melissa Galt, check out www.melissagalt.com.
